Oh, man, I had the best weekend in Boulder with my girlfriends. A full recap is on its way but in the meantime it seemed fitting to do a Colorado-themed Taste & Try post on Pizzeria Locale, the amazing Boulder-based restaurant where Erin serves as the Director of Events. This centrally located contemporary pizzeria, nestled in the heart of Pearl Street, is the perfect place to post up for an incredible lunch or dinner (or, dare I say, both? yes, it’s so good that I’d certainly be willing to eat there twice in one day). Erin took us to Pizzeria Locale for lunch on Saturday, and it was absolutely a highlight of our weekend.

We had so much fun letting Erin take the lead on the menu, ordering treats for us throughout our meal. We shared all of our dishes, which is my favorite way to enjoy a restaurant experience – I love being able to try a little bit of everything. We started with the fried risotto and the seasonal crostinis (the fava bean + house made ricotta combination was my favorite), along with a round of spritzes. Let me pause for a minute and acknowledge the fact that Pizzeria Locale has a section of its menu devoted entirely to spritzes, which are bubbly Prosecco-based beverages that are beyond delicious. I chose a limoncello + basil concoction that was so summery and light (and I may or may not have ordered a second one to go with dessert). We shared a variety of salads, my favorite being the arugula, parmigiano reggiano, and balsamic vinegar concoction. The pizzas were perfect, as you’d expect, fired up in 90 seconds or less in the restaurant’s incredible oven imported from Italy. We shared so many tasty pies, but the stand-out pizza to me was the white version topped with sweet corn, creme fraiche, garlic, and prosciutto – wow. We enjoyed a crisp, clean white wine with our pizzas before moving on to a dessert of budino butterscotch pudding and lemon meringue tart. I know, I know – I’ll let you take all of that in for a minute. I’m salivating just reliving the meal.

If you find yourself in Boulder, please do yourself a favor and pop into Pizzeria Locale (just make sure to book a table in advance – this gorgeous spot fills up fast!). The decor is modern and pretty, the staff is helpful and speedy, and the food, as you can tell, is the absolute best. Make sure to say hi to Erin, too! It was so fun to see her in her element at the restaurant – she is a rock star. I can’t wait to eat at Pizzeria Locale the next time I visit her!

P.S. Pizzeria Locale has partnered with Chipotle to bring a casual spin-off version of the restaurant to the greater Denver area. Too cool!

Image via Archinect